Instant heater for liquids



July O, 1945. 1 E. WALTHER INSTANT HEATER FOR LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 18, 1943 ATTORN EY.

Patented July 10, 1945 INSTANT HEATER Foa LIQUIDs Lucian E. Walther, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to James N. Schien, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 18, 1943, Serial No. 514,777

(ci. 21a-39) Claims.

This invention pertains to an electrically powered,` instant heater for liquids and is particularly directed to a compact, economically assembled, positively operating device capable of being used as a, source of hot water or any other hot liquid which needs be supplied or made available at interrupted or irregular intervals.

Various types of electrically powered, hot water heaters have been disclosed heretofore but all of such heaters were either complex and extremely expensive to manufacture, or the heaters were ineilicient and had a very short effective life. The present invention is directed toward an instant heater which has an exceptionally high efficiency and automatically comes into play whenever a discharge line valve is opened. As a result, the heater is inoperative except when a hot liquid is being made available thereby. It is to be understood that for ypurposes of simplicity, reference will be had specifically to hot water heaters but the device may be used in heating sterilizing solutions and various other liquids.

Generally stated, the device of the present invention comprises a housing including resistance elements in nested relation so as to provide a circuitous path for the liquid to be heated. The liquid to be heated is admitted through a valve chamber which is automatically operated whenever a valve in the discharge line extending from the heater is opened.

The device also includes an air chamber which permits the valve mechanism to operate rapidly and without the necessity of having the valve overcome a high pressure. The valve mechanism not only distributes liquid to be heated throughout the passageways between resistance elements but also simultaneously assures the supply of electrical energy to the resistance elements so that the stream of liquid has heat supplied thereto as soon as such stream starts to move through the device.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide a simple, inexpensive, electrically powered heater for liquids.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide an improved construction for instant water heaters in which an air chamber is provided, such air chamber being associated with a valve mechanism which regulates the admission of liquid to the heater.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose and provide an instant water heater of high efliciency and low initial cost.

These and other objects, advantages, uses and adaptations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an exemplary form of ldevice as shown in the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the device.

The exemplary form of device shown in the drawing includes the outer cylindrical housing, generally indicated at I, said housing being provided with an outer transverse end wall 2 and an axially disposed piston cylinder or valve cylinder 3 preferably spaced from the end wall 2 but integral therewith. The piston cylinder 3 may be connected to the end wall 2 as by means of a tubular sleeve 4.

An annular end plate 5 is shown threadedly connected as at 6 to the other end of the cylindrical housing I. Means are also provided for connecting this end plate 5 to the piston cylinder, such means for example, including the gland 1, thereby forming an annular, water-tight chamber surrounding the tubular sleeve 4 and piston cylinder 3.

A pair of resistance elements is positioned within the housing. In order to obtain a circuitous, relatively long passageway for water or other fluid to be heated within the small compass of the device, each of the resistance elements preferably comprises a pair of concentric resistance cylinders maintained in spaced relation by a connectingsection at one end thereof. In the drawings,l one of the resistance cylinders is indicated at Ill and the other at Il, these two being joined by the connecting section I2. The cylinder of smaller diameter II is also of somewhat shorter length than the outer cylinder I0. The other resistance element comprises the resistance cylinder I3 and the cylinder I4, these two being joined by the connecting section I5. These resistance elements may be made of any suitable, moldable composition having electrical resistance properties. Compositions of the character normally employed as resistance elements for electric heaters and stoves are well adapted for use in this device.

The two resistance elements are adapted to be nested one within the other with their respective resistance cylinders in spaced relation so as to form a circuitous interconnecting passageway therebetween. These resistance elements are maintained in proper spaced position within the housing by means of electrodes extending exteriorly from within the housing connected to each of the resistance elements. Il is shown connected to the outer cylinder l Il The electrode whereas the electrode |8 is shown connected t0 the outer cylinder I3 of the other resistance element. It will be noticed that the electrode |1 is attached to the free end of one resistance element whereas the electrode I9 is attached to the closed end or connecting section of the other resistance element.

Virtually surrounding the resistance elements is a molded annular insulating element, identied on the drawing as the outer cylindrical portion 20, the inner cylindrical portion 2| and the annular end portion 22. The portion 22 is provided with a port or opening through which the electrodes |1 and I8 extend. These electrodes are then held in position by means of insulators 23 and 24 and lock nuts 25 and 26.

An annular disc of insulating material '21 insulates the resistance elements from the annular closure plate 5.

The gland 1 may be provided with a threaded port adapted to receive an inlet line 30 through which water or other lfluid to be heated may be supplied to the device. A distribution port 3| in alignment with a suitable port in the insulating cylinder 2| communicates the piston cylinder 3 with the passageways between the resistance elements. Certain of the resistance elements may also be provided with ports, such as for example, the ports 32, 33, 34 and 35, the last-named port being in alignment with another port or aperture 31 formed in the outer insulating cylinder 20 so as to permit the discharge of fluid from the passageways to a discharge port 38 to which the outlet pipe 39 may be connected.

Slidably positioned within the piston cylinder 3 is a piston valve 40. Spring means 4| tend to normally maintain the piston valve 40 in position so as to shut off communication between the inlet 39 and the distribution port 3|. The piston valve 4D may be provided with a stem or rod 42 extending through the tube 4 and a gland 43.

An air chamber is provided immediately above the piston cylinder 3. Such air chamber is indicated at 44 and is preferably in communication with the piston valve cylinder as by means 56 connect the switches with the electrodes of the device. The stem or rod 42 presses against the bottom of lever 52 so that when the piston valve is raised so as to uncover the distribution port 3| and permit incoming liquid to be supplied to the distribution port, the lever arm 52 has been tilted sufllciently so as to close the circuit and permit electrical energy to be supplied to the resistance elements.

It will be noticed from the description of the device given hereinabove that it is very easily manufactured and assembled. The various resistance elements as well as the insulating elements may be readily inserted and positioned within the device through the open end and this end then closed with the annular closure element 5. The terminals are all at the top so that the switches and terminals are near each other. The inlet and outlet conduits 3|] and 39 may be readily connected to the device. The outlet line 39 is generally provided with a valve; thesupply line 30 is generally connected to a reservoir or a. source of water under pressure, such as a water main. When the device is connected to a water line and to an outlet line 39, and the valve in the outlet line is opened, the water will flow through the various passageways and be discharged through the outlet line 39. The piston valve 40 will uncover the port 3| and at this stage, water will not be present in the space above the piston 40. When the Valve in the outlet line 39 is closed, the spring 4| will force the valve 4l) into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby discontinuing the supply of water to the device. Some small amount of water may pass from the discharge port 3| into the space back of the piston valve 4U but only a very small quantity of water, if any, will flow into the piston cylinder. During subsequent operations, whenever the valve in line 39 is opened so as to relieve the pressure in such line and in the device, a differential is set up so that the pressure on the inlet side of valve 40 is greater than the pressure above such valve and due to such differential, the piston will move upwardly, compressing the spring 4| and closing the circuit to the resistance elements.

The air space 44 connected to the space within the piston cylinder by means of the ports 45 acts as a shock-absorbing chamber in which some air may be compressed due to the upward movement of the piston valve. Ii such air space were not present, the device would often fail to operate.

In addition to some of the passageways shown in the resistance elements, additional ports or passageways may be provided whenever desired. Instead of mercury switches referred to hereinabove, other types of switches may be operated by the stem of the piston valve. All changes and modications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

l. In an instant water heater, the combination of: a cylindrical housing having one closed end and a centrally disposed piston valve cylinder integral with said housing; an annular end plate and means for connecting the end plate to the other end of the housing and to the piston cylinder to form a water-tight annular chamber within the housing; conduit means for supplying liquid to one end of the cylinder; a distribution port in the side of the piston cylinder and communicating the cylinder with the interior of the housing; a valved outlet pipe in communication with the housing; an air chamber isolated from the rest of the housing above the piston cylinder and in communication therewith; and a piston valve in the cylinder, said valve being adapted to shut off communication between the supply conduit and the distribution port when the valved outlet pipe is closed and to open communication between the supply conduit and distribution port when the valved outlet pipe is open.

2. An electrically powered instant heater for liquids comprising: a cylindrical housing having a transverse end wall and an axially disposed piston cylinder concentric with respect to the housing, said `end wall being integral with said housing and piston cylinder; an annular end plate and means for connecting the end rplate to the other end of the housing and to the piston cylinder to form a water-tight annular chamber within the housing; a pair of resistance elements within the housing in nested relation to form a circuitous interconnecting passageway therebetween; an `electrode connected to each 'of said resistance elements; a pair of -ports in the end wall of the housing whereby said electrodes may extend therethrough; insulating means between the housing and said resistance elements; a supply port for supplying liquid to one end of the cylinder; an air chamber within the housing and in communication with the other end of the piston cylinder; a distribution port in the side of the piston cylinder and communicating the cylinder with the passageways between resistance elements; a valved outlet port in the housing and in communication with said passageways; and a piston valve in the piston cylinder, said valve being adapted to shut oir communication between the supply port and distribution port when the valved outlet port is closed.

3. An electrically powered instant heater for liquids comprising: a cylindrical housing having a transverse end wall and an axially disposed piston cylinder, said end wall being integral with said housing and piston cylinder; an annular end plate and means for connecting the end plate to the other end of the housing and to the piston cylinder to form a water-tight annular chamber within the housing; a pair of resistance elements within the housing in nested relation to form a circuitous interconnecting passageway therebetween; an electrode connected to each of said resistance elements; a pair of ports in the end wall of the housing whereby said electrodes may extend therethrough; insulating means between the housing and said resistance elements; a supply port for supplying liquid to one end of the cylinder; an air chamber within the housing and in communication with the other end of the piston cylinder; a distribution port in the side of the piston cylinder and communicating the cylinder with the passageways between resistance elements; a valved outlet port in the housing and in communication with said passageways; a piston valve in the piston cylinder, said valve being adapted to shut 01T communication between the supply port and distribution port when the valved outlet port is closed; switch means carried by the closed end of the housing and operatively connected to the electrodes; and a stem carried by the piston valve and extending into operative contact with the switch means for closing said switch means when said piston valve opens communication between the supply port and distribution port.

4. In an instant hot water heater a cylindrical housing, a centrally and axially disposed valve cylinder integral with the housing and forming an annular chamber between said valve cylinder and the housing wall having a port communicating therebetween and an outlet port leading from the chamber, an end plate for one end of the housing adaptable as a switch and electrode mounting, an end plate for the other end of the housing having a, central inlet communicating with the valve cylinder, a spring loaded piston valve in the valve cylinder adapted to be moved by water under pressure in the inlet, a packed stern on the piston valve extending through the end plate opposite from the inlet, an electric switch mounted on said housing having a switch arm cooperable with the valve stem, an electric heating'element in said chamber and an electric circuit including said switch and said heating element adapted to be turnedon and oi in response to the combined action of said piston valve and said switch.

5. In an instant hot water heater a cylindrical housing forming a chamber, a valve cylinder within the chamber, said valve cylinder and the cham-ber having a port communicating therebetween, an outlet port leading from the chamber, an end plate for each end of the chamber, said valve cylinder having an inlet thereto, a spring loaded'piston valve in the valve cylinder adapted to be moved'by water under pressure in the inlet, a packed stem on the piston valve, an electric switch mounted on the end plate remote from the valve cylinder having a switch arm cooperable with the valve stem, an electric heating element in said chamber and an electric circuit including said switch and said heating element adapted to be turned on and off in response to the combined action of said piston valve and said switch.

LUCIAN E. WALTHER. 

